A Budding Love
by TC Morgan
Summary: Judy Hops and Nick Wilde have been on the beat for a year now and he's been harboring some deep feelings towards her. He's wants to tell her how he feels but when tragedy nearly strikes, what will they do? I don't own anything especially not Zootopia and please review.
1. Chapter 1

That," Judy Hops breathed, "was a close one."

"Sure was Carrots," Nick Wilde replied as he wiped the sweat from his brow and fingered the hole in his sun glasses where a lenses had once been. "I'm gonna need a new pair of these though."

Judy shrugged her shoulders, "I never liked them anyway."

Nick brought his hand to his chest in mock pain and learned over dramatically. "Officer, please, you wound me. These," he said pointing to his broken glasses, "are a very important piece of eye wear. They're a part of my charm."

"Your charm is a part of your charm but that's besides the point. Whoever darted that cheetah and made him go savage on us is _really_ important. Any thoughts?"

"Here," he said grabbing a paper cup filled with coffee from beverage cart setup up by the ZPD. He only took one sip from it before his bunny cop partner reached up and took it from his paws. He eyed the cup and then her as she took a sip herself and wiped her furry paw across her lips.

"Thank you Nick," she said appreciatively, handing it back to him. "I really need that after trying out run and out maneuver a cheetah but that still doesn't answer my question."

Nick stared down at the cup for a few moments, shrugged his shoulders and then started drinking from it again. "Actually, I did Carrots, you just weren't listening."

"What," she said, her ears perking up, "no you didn't, say it again."

He took another sip and drew his next word out for effect. "Heeeere."

"What? No I don't want anymore coffee, I want to find the culprit who trying to finish what Bellwether started."

"Ah, I wasn't offering you coffee, I never do actually, you just always take it and I mean the perp who did this is still, here. All of the roads in and out of the Rainforest District were closed down before the first shot was fired so its needless to say, he or she hasn't left the area yet."

"Hmm, needless to say but you said it anyway," Judy mumbled under her breath and Nick reached out playfully, tapping her nose.

"That's because you always make me say. Speaking of that, there's something I have to tell you."

"What?" Judy ask as she kept a listening ear out for the suspect.

"Later," Nick said dismissively and then quickly downed the contents of his cup before crushing the paper with his paw and tossing it on the cart behind him. "Right, now lets get this guy off the streets before he finds his next target."

"Gotcha, lets go."

"Wait," said Chief Bogo, "take this with you, just in case." He held a leather and metal muzzle in his outstretched hoove and Officer Hops hesitated as she watched Nick tense.

"Sir, ah, thank you, we," she eyed Wilde and then looked back at their commanding officer, "wont be needing that."

"Nonsense Hops, if another animal goes savage and you don't have a muzzle, there's a good chance that he'll have dinner."

"Sir I," Nick placed a reassuring paw on her shoulder and she turned her head to look at him.

"Its ok Carrots," he whispered, barely moving his lips, "I trust you." Then he looked at the chief, "thank you sir," he said taking it into his paw and latching the back of it, "you're right, you just never know when someone will go feral on ya and we don't want bunny burgers on the menu."

"Or fox fries," she added, crossing her arms and poking her hip out. Nick secretly smiled but hid it well as he stared down at his bunny cop partner. He loved when she was being a little sassy.

"Not so Carrots," he said raising a knowing paw, " I'm a predator, remember." He growled down at her and brought his snout menacing close to her face but she playfully swatted it away.

"Come on Mr. Predator, let's go," Judy said as she started walking and he followed behind her. Then he turned and shrugged his shoulders at Chief Bogo.

"Cant say I didn't warn her," he called out and then swivel back around, shoving his paws into his uniform pant pockets.


	2. Chapter 2

They didn't take any of the main bridges since they didn't offer much in the way of cover but stuck to side ones that the city had allowed to over grow. "You know," Nick whispered, "you should really be the one holding this." The muzzle was firmly in his paw and he had tried on numerous occasions through out the night to give it to her.

"No," she whispered back firmly, " I know how you feel about muzzles and I wont hold one. Its bad enough I hurt your feelings when I was walking around carrying Fox repellent spray and I'm not going to go 0 and 2."

"Cotton Tail, that was over a year ago and I can you that it doesn't take my feelings that long to heal. Especially not when it comes to you."

"I have my pawcuffs if I need to restrain anyone."

"Yeah, me too but they're nothing compared to a fully functional, fang restraining, bit resistant muzzle.

"Yet and still, no."

"Alright Fluffy, alright."

"Wait," she said putting up a paw for silence, "did you hear that?"

"What?" Nick said, suddenly alert.

"I don't know it's coming from up there, on the main bridge. Let's... umph!" Judy said as Nick abruptly shoved her hard, causing her to roll a full 3 ft away from him. "What gives Nick? You could have made me fall off of the low bridge and you went to the academy, you know how long of a drop that is. What are you trying to do, kill me?"

But Nick was barely listening to her as he crouched on the bridge, his free hand clasping his neck. It was wet and dread filled him as he brought his paw to his face only to see it stained with a blue liquid. His breathing became heavy as he tried not to lose control, knowing that the lose of it was coming soon. How much time did he have? A few seconds maybe, perhaps a minute at the most. His emerald green eyes meet Judy's violet ones imploringly. "Run," he rasped, digging his claws into the wooden slats of the bridge beneath him.

"No," Judy said as she realized what was happening, " fight it, Nick. We're not that far from the other officers maybe a few miles and they'll have the antidote up there. You can do it."

Nick suddenly noticed that he was hot, so very hot, like he was over heating in his own clothes and the urge to be naked had never been stronger in his life. He was gasping now, desperately trying to hold off the effects of the Night Howler poison but he knew he was losing. His vision was blurring as he looked at Judy slowly inching over. "No," he growled more than said, his voice not sounding anything like his own, "please, Judy, run."

"No," she said loudly "I'm not leaving you Nick. Trust me we're going to get through this together. Just, just get up and come with me."

There was a tremor to her voice but despite her fear, she held out her paw to her closest friend, beckoning her to him. Its not you I don't trust, its me, he had tried to say but cringed when the only sounds that left his lips were a series of inaudible growls. He was suddenly more aware of Judy's scent. She had always smelled of carrots and flowers, perhaps because of a fragrance that she wore from her home town but now there was something else. Oh no, he thought horrified as a cold chill lanced through him. It wasn't her perfume that he was smelling, it was Judy herself, her fur, her flesh, even the blood pumping in her veins seemed to have a scent to it. And to his greater dismay, she smelled utterly delicious. He snarl, only one base desire in mind as his prey stood there before him. He was going to capture it and feast.

"Nick," Judy said as she shivered, a single tear falling from her eyes, "please,"

Perhaps it was the sound of his name on her lips or maybe it was the fear in her eyes but the fog of his mind was clearing, if only by a little. She was going to keep her word, even if it killed her. No, he was not going to hurt one the person on this earth that he loved. With his last once of reason, he quickly pulled the already buckled muzzle over his head and growled as he heard the bunny near by say something. It didn't matter though, he didn't seem to know her anyway but somehow he knew that he was fighting the urge to rip her throat out. Cuffs he thought, then his mind left him again and his paws swatted at the metal restraints until he came back to himself again. But it was only going to last a few seconds and it was taking so much effort to hold on to those precious seconds that he felt as though he was going to faint. No, don't give into it. You can't give in. Cuffing himself quickly he eyed the bunny once more as he edged toward the side of the bridge. She was squeaking something but once again he couldn't understand her. She was now running towards him, arms outstretched and Nick's mouth began to water as she drew closer. He could practically taste her blood in his mouth as it dripped down his throat and with that last feral thought and his final shred of restraint about to tear, he threw himself off of the bridge.


	3. Chapter 3

Bright. Why is it so bright he thought. Am I dead? The pain that instantly struck him when he tried to move his head alerted him to the fact that he was not. He tried to move his paws and although they weren't restrained, the pain caused by the movement was enough to keep him in place. But were was he? There was a softness beneath him so he knew that he was either laying on the world's flattest sheep or a bed. He reasoned that a bed was probably the most logical of the two. He tried to open his eyes but immediately closed them and grimaced in pain as the light shined into them. His ears seemed to work just fine as he heard footsteps scurrying quickly and then the sound of window shades being pulled. The dreadfully overpowering light went away and was replaced by a calming glow. The bed dipped but only slightly as he felt someone sitting down on it and the gentle smell of carrots and flowers wafted towards him. "J-Judy?" he rasped, his throat was sand paper dry and it hurt to speak but he needed to know. He needed to hear her and know that she was safe, that he hadn't...

"Shhh," Judy calmly said, placing a soft fluffy paw on his forehead, wiping his brow.

"A-are you a-alri..."

"I'm fine Nick, its you who I should be asking if you're alright. You've been running a fever and going in and out of consciousness for a week and a half. And I'm sorry about the morning sunlight creeping in, I fell asleep watching you last night and I must have forgot to close shades. I know you love looking up at the stars so I leave them open every night, even though I knew you couldn't see them. Hold on a sec." She got off of the bed to leave but Nick reached out to grab her paw and groaned in pain.

"Judy," he said between gasps, his throat seemingly set on fire with every word spoken, "don't, go, Judy." Judy cupped his paw in hers and when he opened his eyes again, he was meet by kindly but tired violet ones.

"Ok, Nick I'll stay. Let me just call my mom." Good, he thought, let her parents know that she was safe and sound then they could talk privately. He still had something to tell her. "Hi Mom, can you bring some carrot root tea with lots of honey in it, a bowl of blueberries and the pain medicine Dr. Bovian prescribed for Nick? Thanks."

"Your Mom is at the hospital?" Nick asked confused. Why one earth would her parents venture all the way out to Zootopia just because he was hurt. Could it be that he had somehow mauled her in the process of trying to protect her. The events of that night had become extremely fuzzy. "Judy, I,"

"Shhh," she said again, placing a paw on his lips, "your throat is still raw from the antidote and you talking will only make it worse. Wait for the tea."

Just then, Judy's mother walked in. "Well how's our patient doing?" she said with a smile as she carried a kettle filled with tea and a cup nestled on top of it. One of Judy's little sisters was carrying a bowl nearly larger than her tiny little paws and Judy took it from her before it could tip over and fall. "How are you enjoying The Hops Farm House? I know its not one of your fancy BnB's in the city but we got plenty of good fresh air and loads of clean sheets. No, no, don't answer," she said as she placed the tea on the bedside table, "I know you shouldn't be talking just yet. Now, Judy here will take good care of you like she's been doing and you just keep on resting like you've been doing and everything will be alright. Come Lois, lets give Nick some privacy."

"But I wanna sit with Judy and Nick," the little bunny squeak mournfully.

"Get your little fluffy bum going,"

"Yes Mama," she said and scurried out of the room with her mother following behind her.

Judy helped Nick into a sitting position and then held the tea to his lips so that he could drink it. He wasn't one for carrots but the tea was very sweet like he liked it so it wasn't entirely unpleasant. By his 3rd cup, his muscles felt relaxed and the pain was ebbing away.

"The medicine is in the tea isn't it?" he said as he held the cup on his own and refilled it from the kettle.

"Nothing gets past you Nick,"

"Almost nothing, why am at your parent's farm and not the hospital?" Judy hesitated and Nick prodded her. "Come on Cotton Tail, spit it out." His words were direct but his tone was soft.

"When you were hit, when you were out of your mind,"

"When I went savage," he corrected her.

"Yes, that, and jumped off the side of the bridge, I jumped after you and grabbed your foot but not before you hit your head on a rock. The others came to help but it was decided that you couldn't be put in a regular hospital or it would become public that an officer had turned. The only other option was Cliffside and there was no way that I was going to let you go to that awful place so I was allowed to bring you here. The antidote has been brutal on you though," she said as she wipe a paw across his forehead and he shivered. "You've been running a fever since it was a first given to you but thankfully now its breaking."

"Yes," he said taking her paw from his forehead and holding it in his. "Well I better be getting up." He pulled the large comforter off of himself but then flushed with embarrassment as he threw it back on. "Carrots, I'm naked!"

"That you are,"

"But how? When?"

"You were running a fever remember? So I had to strip you down and put cool rags on you to keep it low."

"But that means that you saw my..."

"Yes but I have 275 little siblings so yours isn't the first one that I've seen."

Nick laughed softly, and leaned in close, touching his snout to hers. "If you just wanted to strip me down Cotton Tail, you didn't have to wait until I was in a drug induced comma. I would have came around if you had asked nicely."

"Hardy har har," Judy said as she got off of the bed and grabbed his clothes off of a chair. Throwing them at him, she headed to the door. "Well, you're back to your old self again."

"You know you love me," he said playfully but waited with baited breath for her answer.

"Do I know? Yes, yes I do. Now, hurry up and get dressed Nick, I wanna show you around."

"Will do Carrots, will do."

The day had been long and utterly exhausting. He had made small talk Judy's parents, meet every single brother and sister that she had all at once and had received a full tour of the farm. So when Judy offered him a small picnic meal on the hill by the barn that night, how could he refuse. There was still some pain in his joints but not enough for him to forego spending a night with his best friend in the world under the stars. They lay there, staring up at the sky, her belly filled with carrots and his with blueberries but not a word being said between them. Nick decided to take a chance on boldness and without taking his eyes off of the stars above them, he took her paw in his. To his great happiness, she threaded her fingers through his and this embolden him even more.

"Judy," he said his voice near a whisper.

"Hmm?" Judy replied.

"What do you think of me? I mean really think of me?

"I think you're a great friend and the best partner that anyone could ever have."

"Do you love me?" Before she could give her customary answer he raised his free paw for silence. "Do you love me more than like a friend because I love you more than just like a friend."

"Nick," she hesitated, " we cant. I mean you're a predator and I'm prey. You're a fox and I'm a bunny."

"Those kind of barriers don't exist anymore, we moved past that. Granted, this kind of relationship doesn't happen often but it does happen. Love doesn't know a species or you'd be a fox too. Come on, you've never thought about it?"

"I-I'll admit that I have but it would never work."

"We can make it work if we really wanted to." There was silence for a while but neither of them released the others paw. Nick finally decided that the night was not going to end like this. Not for them, he would have his answer, even if it hurt him more than anything else. Sitting up, he leaned over Judy, his green eyes looking into hers, their noses nearly touching. "Do you love me more than you would a friend," he asked softly as his free paw caressed her furry cheek.

Her eyes seemed to look into his mesmerized as she spoke, "Yes."

That's when all eyes closed and his lips met hers in a kiss that he had been so desperately craving for months since he realized that his feelings for her went deeper than friendship. He rolled back over, taking her with him and they lay there with her resting her head on the crook of his neck. He smiled as he nuzzled her left ear and took a mental note as he felt her shiver at the contact. He may need to remember that for later. "I don't know how we're going to make this work," she said, wrapping her arm around his waist. "How are we going to get married? And then we'll never be able to have children."

"Whoa whoa whoa,"Nick said playfully, "where did all of this marriage and kids stuff come from?"

"Well I don't plan on being your female-friend indefinitely and I also don't plan on having a male-friend after you soooo..."

"Its ok Cotton Tail," Nick said smoothly, "I've got it all worked out. There's no law against inter-species marriage so that's done. And when it comes to children, well we could always just adopt. There's always little bunnies and fox cubs that could use a home, why not ours?"

"And how would we explain our relationship to them?"

"Oh that part is easy. You are a rare gray furred vegetarian dwarf fox."

"Or you are a rare red furred over grown bunny."

Nick laughed, "Well kids will believe anything, that's for sure but I believe my teeth might be a dead giveaway. Either way, we'll make it work."

"So you have given marriage and babies a thought,"

" Have I spent long hours alone thinking up ways to successfully build a family with you? Yes, yes I have." He wrapped his free arm around her and they lay there on the picnic blanket as if hugging on the ground.

"I love you fox cop,"

"And I love you Officer Bunny. Oh now that we're a item, is it ok to start calling you cute or is that still just a bunny thing." Judy's answer came in the form of a nudge to his side and he made a fake sound of pain. Then it was her turn to lean over Nick and as she kissed him, he wrapped both of his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace and no one but the moon watched as their love began to blossom.


	4. Chapter 4

"Judy, run! Judy...Judy... please! Please, no!" Nick awoke in a cold sweat, and sat up quickly as his breath came in deep gasps. Warm strong arms wrapped around his waist but he didn't need to turn around to see to whom they belonged to. With one paw still gripping the cheaply made sheets beneath him, he used the other to pet Judy's arm. "Hey Carrots, can't keep your hands off me even in your sleep, I see."

"Very funny Nick, but you're trying to redirect and Dr. Bovian said that if the nightmares start coming back, you need to talk about them."

Nick rolled his eyes knowing that she couldn't see him doing it since she was behind him and without another word, he got out of the small bed that they shared in her rented room. Taking two steps over to her meager dresser to get a drink of water, he looked at his reflection in the mirror lit only by moonlight. Great, he thought, bags are forming under my eyes. Then his gaze went to the pain meds and sleeping aides that the deer doctor had prescribed for him. He pushed them away before turning to look at Judy. "You know Cotton Tail, it's bad enough Chief Buffalo Butt said that I had to see that quack of a doctor every month if I wanted to return to the force but I absolutely hate when you try to sound like him."

"If you dont want me sounding like the doctor, then why do you always have me tagging along every time you go to see him?"

"Because I hate being alone with him even more!" he said throwing his paws up in the air. He took another sip of water and wiped his mouth. "So, I know I must have said something or you wouldn't have woken up. What was it?"

"Oh, you know, stuff," Judy said as her violet eyes looked away from him. Nick opened his mouth to say something to her but then her neighbors interjected from behind the thin walls.

"You were yelling for her to run," one called out.

"Yeah, begging, pleading with her even," the other one said.

"Nothing new,"

"And take your meds, you're keeping us up at night."

Nick had been eyeing the wall but then turned his irritated green gaze to Judy who smiled nervously and shrugged her shoulders. "So I cant even hear about my crazy ramblings from my own female-friend, I have to hear about them from her nosy neighbors?"

Judy's eyes went wide at Nick mentioning that she was his 'female-friend'. They had agreed to keep it quiet until they had worked all of the kinks out. "Nick,"she whispered angrily, "keep your voice down."

"Why?" he said, not lowering his voice one octave, "they already know, they hear everything through these leaf thin walls."

"He's right," one replied, "we know ya not holding cub scout meeting in there every night."

"Yeah but the two of the you must make love like ninjas cuz we never hear that."

Nick eyed the wall again and then rubbed his eyes before he headed for the door.

"Nick, where are you going?"

"I don't know Carrots, for a walk to clear my mind."

"It's 3:20 in the morning, come back to bed."

"Yeah Nick," one of her antelope neighbors said, "don't leave her alone, stay."

"You're not gonna be satisfied until she leaves your tail for a wolf. And you know, if its two things that wolves know how to do, its howl and brag and I'm sure we'd be hearing lots of both. "

Nick slumped against the door and pounded his fist on it softly in pent up frustration. Then he felt gentle arms wrap around his waist again and Judy's face pressed into the small of his back. Despite himself, a smile tugged at his lips. "You can't leave Nick," she said into his fur, his bushy tail brushing up against her pajama covered legs.

"Oh yeah, Cotton Tail, and why is that?"

She released him and when he turned around, she beckoned him to kneel down so that she could whisper into his ear. "Because you're naked and I hid your clothes after you went to sleep. So unless you want to be arrested for indecent exposure on your little early morning excursion, you'll get back in bed and wait for the alarm clock to wake us both back up in a few hours."

Nick chuckled softly and lifted her into his arms as he walked towards the bed. "Clever Bunny," he said depositing on her on it and sliding back under the sheets with her. "And I wish I could see more of you than that cute bushy tail of yours through those little pajama pants. Not that I don't immensely enjoy the view."

"You know the rules, Sir," she whispered as she stroked his snout lovingly, "you're not getting into this bunny's britches until I get a wedding ring on this paw."

"Sure thing Carrots, whatcha doing later today?"

"Nick," she giggled, "I'm serious, we need to get to know each other better as female and male-friend before we move forward."

"I totally agree," he said conceding to her, "so how's this weekend looking for you, because I'm free this weekend."

Judy leaned in and kissed Nick on the lips before rolling over. "Good night Nick,"

"You taste like delicious,"

"Good night Nick,"

"Just like carrots,"

"Good night Nick,"

"You know, they are really starting to grow me because of you,"

"Good night Nick,"

He kissed and nibbled lightly on her ear and reveled in the shiver that ran through her body. "Good night Judy."


	5. Chapter 5

Nick shared a seat with Judy in the ZPD roll call meeting, reflective sunglasses on and large cup of coffee in hand. "Well," Chief Bogo started, " as you all know we have an officer back who was wounded in action. I would say for you all to welcome him, buuuut I'm not. Because I don't care."

"Awe Chief, you move me. I'm touched by your kind words." Snickers filled the room but came to an abrupt halt as Chief Bogo cleared his throat and picked up the roster on the podium.

"McHorn, Wolferton," he bellowed, "Petty theft in Tundra Town. Hops, Wilde," Judy looked up at their buffalo commander expectantly but Nick kept his eyes downcast beneath his glasses. He was still a bit groggy from the pain killers that Judy had practically forced him to take before they left for work that morning. The glasses helped. "Now that your both back on the beat, I want you searching for the Night Howler. We need him off the streets and behind bars before he strikes again.

"Yes Sir," Judy said, saluting smartly, "we're on the case." She hopped down from the chair and Nick slide off following her lead as she headed to the door.

"Wilde," Bogo called, "don't do anything foolish, you hear?"

In one fluid movement, Nick turned, clicked his tongue, snapped his fingers and pointed to the chief. Bogo frowned but the cocky smile on Nick's lips never left as he swiveled back around and caught the door right before Judy let it go.

"So any leads?" he asked they headed down the hall to pick up their case file from Clawhauser.

"No," Judy said as she took the coffee from his hand and sipped on it, "but I do want to see an friend about some bulbs."

"Sounds good, lets roll."

It was a surprisingly short drive to the Otterton flower shop and Nick fought back a hiss as the bells above the door chimed at their entrance. Thanks to Judy and her family, his body had healed up after his fall from the bridge in the Rain Forest but the headaches still ebbed and flowed. A motherly looking otter stood behind the counter wrapping an assortment of azaleas but when she saw them walking in, she immediately abandoned her work and ran over to give Judy a big hug.

"Judy," she exclaimed excitedly as she embraced the bunny officer warmly, "its been so long, how are you?"

"Much too long," Judy said hugging her back, "I'm fine but how are you and the kids? And Mr. Otterton?"

"Oh, the boys are fine and Emit's in the back doing inventory. Its really good to see you and how are you officer Wilde. I heard that you took a nasty accident a couple of months ago on a case. It was in all of the newspapers. I hope you're feeling better."

Nick sipped his coffee and spoke very, very, slowly. "I am doing well," he paused and before Mrs. Otterton could speak, he raised his paw, "as I can be." Judy flashed him an irritated frown but he regarded her coolly with a knowing smirk playing on his lips. Mrs. Otterton on the other hand, stared at Judy then at him and back, a concerned look plastered across her face. "Oh my stars," she gasped "did he get some kind of brain damage from the fall? He's talking as slow as a sloth."

Judy's violet eyes glared daggers into Nick as she spoke. "No more than he was before he fell. Officer Wilde," she said through clinched teeth, "didn't you say that you wanted to ask Mrs. Otterton a few questions for our investigation?"

"Investigation?" said a shocked Mrs. Otterton.

"Yes Ma'am," he said smiling disarmingly, "but I think your husband is the one that I'd like to ask the questions to. You said that he's in the back, right?"

"Yes, the store room is right past the last shelf. And he wont mind answering any questions for you, not after all the two of you have done for us." Tapping his paw against his forehead in a two fingered salute, Nick turned and headed toward the stock room.

"Oh Officer Wilde," Mrs. Otterton called out and Nick halted, "you might not want to bring that cup with you. There's spores and pollen flying lose in the air back there since Emit is sorting and separating flowers. They might get in your coffee."

Looking down at his half full cup of coffee, he took a long sip of it before handing it Judy. Nodding his thanks to Mrs. Otterton, he left her and Judy alone at the front of the store while he ventured to the stock room.

The clever fox saw a middle aged otter siting on a stool, sorting flowers and dipping their stems into some sort of clear liquid that appeared to be thicker than water. He cleared his throat and Mr. Otterton startled, nearly knocking all of his materials off of the work bench. "I'm sorry I surprised you," Nick said apologetically, " that darn sneaky fox biology."

Mr. Otterton fumbled as he fixed his glasses back on his face but smiled. "I don't know too much about biology, Officer Wilde, but I do know that sometimes I get so caught up in my work, that nothing else seems to matter. Or at least that's what the Mrs' tells me. I still wake up in cold sweats when I imagine her setting my work bench on fire once we retire."

"Ha!" Nick laughed and rubbed the red fur of his neck, "I know what you mean and hey, you can call me Nick."

"Ok, well, how can I help you Nick?"

Nick looked down at the flowers on the table and pointed to them. "I heard that every flower in a bouquet has a meaning. Is that true."

"Oh must definitely," the otter said perking up now that they were talking about his element, "or at least it is about roses anyway, here let me show you." He slinked off of his stool and Nick stuck his hands in his pockets as Emit lead him to the far edge of the table where a huge bucket of long stemmed roses sat. "Here," the otter florist pointed with his paw, "red roses mean romantic love, and yellow roses mean friendship or caring, pink ones mean gratitude or gentleness, and the white ones mean purity."

"What about those black ones?"

Mr. Otterton looked over at the black roses that sat in a corner, surprised that Nick had noticed them. "The black ones symbolize death."

"Well, that's kind of an odd variety to keep around and in such a large quantity."

Emit looked down, "Some people need somethings in abundance. Its all about what business they're in."

"I guess Mr. Big is doing well."

The otter florist fumbled with his glasses again and smiled nervously, "Now we both know that I have no comment on that."

Nick put both of his paws up in front of him, "Hey not business and I didn't see a thing."

"Thank you,"the otter breathed relieved.

"But I do have a few questions. About when you went savage."

"I paid reparations to the Jaguar driver, even though the courts said that I didn't have to because I was a victim too."

"I'm not here about that. I wanted to know, how long did it take for you to recover after you got the antidote in your system, I mean fully recover?"

"Well, I don't know that I'll ever fully recover," Emit said softly as he looked down at the floor, "The muscle soreness and headaches took about a year to pass but I still have certain urges. Some are stronger than others but for the most part they're all pretty faint."

A knot was developing Nick's stomach as he wondered whether or not he was going to be like this for the rest of his life. He kept his signature cool demeanor though as he pressed forward. "So these urges, what do they include?"

"Mostly just wanting to jump into large bodies of water but I cant swim so I'm happy that that's the weakest of them. Although my wife is very happy with certain ones if you catch my drift. Some I don't try to fight at all and she loves it."

Nick gagged on something between laughter and revulsion but continued on once he caught his breath again. "Do other things still come to you?"

"Yes, odors, more like scents. The smell of trees, dirt, fish in a stream. I know that they aren't real because I'll just be walking around downtown or clipping flower, looking at my kids and then it'll happen. Its not entirely unpleasant, I usually just wait it out, it doesn't last long."

"Uh-huh, well thank you for that Mr. Otterton, that was very... enlightening."

"Anytime and please, call me Emit. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

"Yes, I'd like some roses delivered please. Four red, four pink and four white."

"Hmmm," Emit said as he fidgeted with his glasses and his mouth widened into a knowing smile. "A dozen roses, somebody must be special. Is there a lovely lady fox in your life now?"

Nick looked at the stock room door and then back at Mr. Otterton. " I can say that she's a lovely foxy lady, that's for sure."

Mr. Otterton laughed. "Well she's very fortunate to be courted by a gentlebeast such as yourself." Nick smiled and went to reach for his wallet but the otter waived him away. "You're money is no good here."

Nick had heard that so many times over the years, not because he had done anything wrong but simply for the fact that he was a fox. But the goofy wide toothed grin that Mr. Otterton had plastered on his face told him that the florist wasn't turning his money down for that reason. "You've helped us so much, just give me the address and I'll have Chester deliver them."

"Thank you Emit," Nick said as he wrote Judy's address on a notepad on the table and then handed it to Mr. Otterton. "But I insist on giving you something."

"Give me and my a wife an invitation to the wedding! And have a really good reception. We could use a night out from the kids."

Nick laughed hard before shaking the otter florist's paw and saying his goodbyes and headed to join Judy in the front of the store.

"Thank you for all of your help," she said as she sipped on Nick's coffee.

"I'm just sorry that I couldn't have been more helpful. And you really shouldn't do that," the motherly otter said as she pointed to the cup in Judy's hand. "You get germs that way."

"Hey," Nick said as he walked up, " I have the best germs." Judy made a wry face at him and then handed him back his cup. They both said their goodbyes to Mrs. Otterton and then existed the store.

"Anything?" he said as he climbed into the seat of their police car.

"No," Judy sighed as she turned the key in the ignition, "Mrs. Otterton said that they don't sell Night Howler anymore, nor does anyone else in the city. Did you get anything good from Mr. Otterton."

"Nope, but now I wanna see a friend about something."

"What?" Judy said as she pulled out of the parking space.

"Paw Pops."


	6. Chapter 6

"Why did you go back into the Otterton flower shop after we left out?" Judy asked as she kept her violet eyes on the road.

"I left something."

"Uh-huh," she said, not really believing him but choosing not to press the issue.

"I hate flowers," Nick said as he stared out of the passenger's side window of the cruiser that they shared.

"Why," Judy asked genuinely confused.

"Meh, childhood stuff, ancient history."

"I love history, its one my favorite subjects and you know it Nick, now tell me."

Nick sighed, "My dad, he, a, he died when I was little."

"I'm sorry Nick,"

"It's ok Carrots, I was young when it happened. I barely remembered him back then and I don't remember him now. But my mother said that he had loved flowers, it was actually how they'd met. Anyway, Ma would take me to visit him every on year their anniversary. She would buy the most expensive bouquet of flowers that she could afford from the Flora and Fauna flower shop and then we'd get on the bus to Willgrave Cemetery."

"Willgrave?!" Judy said, her ears twitching in shock, "isn't that a Potter's Field?"

"They do use a good portion of a it to bury the unknown and unwanted but they also sale inexpensive plots to creatures who cant afford better or wouldn't be given better. But hey, what would you expect for a fox." Judy gave him a sympathetic look and Nick shook his head. "Please don't do that Judy,"

"What?"

"Look at me like that, I know that you don't mean anything by it but it, it reminds me of..." he sighed, not usually lost for words, "I don't need anyone's pity. Not yours, not anyone's."

"You don't have my pity Nicholas, but I'm not going to smile while you tell me about how your family was mistreated just because you're foxes."

"Well if that bothers you, then you're really in for a dousey. When I was about twelve years old, the pigs that own the flower shop now, brought it from the beaver family that used to own it. The Woodermeirs had always been nice to us , even gave me odd jobs in the summer sometimes but the Muddles, all they saw when they looked at us were shifty thieves." Nick closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, "My mother had never stole a thing in herself. Worked herself to the bone, worked herself to death, just for me. Anyway, they refused to sell her any flowers. She begged them, pleaded with them, showed them her money and even counted it out for them but they didn't care. To them, we were just foxes and all foxes were the same. I'll never forget the way that he laughed right in her face and said that her money was probably fake or stolen. Then he told us to get out before he called the cops and told them that we were stealing. Of course my mother, who worried more about her twelve year old fox son who she knew would have been seen as a trouble maker, grabbed my hand and ushered us out quickly.

"When we got to the bus stop, she smiled at me and said something about it being such good fortune that we had the extra money now and that after we visited my father, we'd go to get some ice cream with it. I was nearly a teenager, I didn't want any ice cream, I wanted to stick it to the Muddles for hurting her. But I smiled and told her that I couldn't wait. Then, then, she started to cry. Not out loud and if I hadn't been paying attention, I wouldn't have noticed the tears, but they just kept coming. I think she thought that she'd let my dad down by not bringing him any flowers for his grave and it was tearing her up inside. I told her that I had left something and that I had to go get. Before she could say anything, I ran off and found my best friend Finn and together, we ran our first hustle. He threw a couple of rocks through the front window and when Mr. Muddle ran outside to see what happened, I went in through the back door and stole the most expensive bouquet I could find. I got back to my mom, just before the bus came and when she saw the flowers, her face just lit up like the sun was inside of her. She asked how I got them. I lied of course and said that I went back to the flower shop and explained to what we wanted the flowers for and he had a change of heart. She was so happy but I caught an attack of conscience a few days later and told her what I had done. She was soooo livid, but she gave me $30.00 that she really didn't have to give, and told me to go right down to Mr. Muddle's shop and pay for I had stolen."

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Did you go back and pay for the flower you stole?"

Nick laughed uproariously and slapped his knee. "No, I didn't give that pig the money. Finny and me took it and brought our very first Jumbo Pop. They were only $10.00 back then so it was easy and hence the Pawsicle was born."

"Where's your mom now? You never talk about her."

"She's dead. Died when I was seventeen. A heat stroke took her. I called emergency services but they refused to send an ambulance for her. They thought that we were just trying to run some kind of scam to get medical supplies. I ran all the way from Fox Hollows were she had been working to the hospital but they didn't want to treat her, once again, they thought that we were faking. They didn't believe me until I passed out too. It had been over 100 degrees outside that day. They ended up treating us then and I came out ok but my mother didn't make it. Buried her in Willgrave too, next to dad. I couldn't afford much but I promised that I wasn't going to beg for anything and that my parents would have their flowers. I stole a crate of seeds and planted a bunch of them on parents' graves. Now every Spring, they rest beneath a bed of wild flowers and no one can take that away from her. No one and I've never gotten anyone flowers ever again. No one was ever worth it," Nick said softly, as he rested his chin on the back of his paw.

"Nick, I'm so..."

"Here we are, Cotton Tail," he interrupted, " and looks like ole Finny is down to his last customers. Let's go pay him a visit."


	7. Chapter 7

"These things are disgusting," Judy said as Nick handed her a Pawsicle. Her ears drooped as she examined it carefully and then handed it back to him. "I'm not eating a Popsicle made from the bottom of a fox's foot."

Nick smiled as he licked his Pawsicle and raised an eyebrow from beneath his gun-metal colored glasses. "Soooo, you have something against fox feet, Officer Hopps? Because you're always thumping your cute little bunny feet against mine in your sleep."

"I like your feet," she whispered under her breath as mammals walked by, " their warm. I just don't fancy licking someone else's."

"Uh-huh," he said licking his pop again, "so you'd lick my feet then?"

"Nick, be serious."

"I am Carrots, it's ok, I'd lick yours first and then we could see how it goes from there."

"Shut up Nick," Judy hissed under her breath, "Finnik is coming back."

Nick knew that despite herself, she was blushing beneath her slate colored fur and the smile on his lips never left as handed her back her Pawsicle. "Well," he said slyly, " if Finny is coming back over here, then you better start working on your Popsicle or he'll think that you don't like it. He doesn't give these things away for free you know." Judy held the red frozen treat in her paw and closed her eyes as she stuck her tongue out tentatively, not quite touching the pop. "Now come on Darling," he said coaxingly, "you don't want to hurt Toot Toot lil fweelwings."

"Bwah," she said, "nope, cant do it."

"Hey Fam," Finnick said as he walked up on the pair while carting a few loads of Popsicle sticks, "sorry about that. I needed to get these out of the trash before sanitation came through. What's up?"

"Night Howlers," Nick said as he flicked his used Popsicle stick onto the cart. Then he reached down and plucked Judy's melting treat from her paw and started working on it.

"Nick, give the lady back her pop."

"She's watching her figure."

"Watching it do what?" Finnick said as he eyed Judy curiously.

"Work," Nick replied, suddenly feeling territorial, "and eyes up here Finny, I got a favor to ask of you."

"Favor? Nick you know Finnick don't help the fuzz."

Nick laughed. "I know pal, but you're always quick to help a friend. And I need you're help." Finnick folded his arms and gestured to Judy with his eyes. Nick caught his drift and acted quickly. "But first, let me help you." The red furred fox turned and grabbed the largest crate of Popsicle sticks with Finnick in tow grabbing another. Judy knelt down to pick up a crate as well but Nick called out over his shoulder stopping her in her tracks. "That's alright Darling," he said, his charming smile full on, "Finny and me got this, you just stay right there. Judy's ears flopped down and she poked her hip out, placing a paw on it as she scrunched her nose up at him. Oooh the sass, he thought to himself as he smirked.

"And what exactly should I be doing 'right' here?" she said, making quotation marks with her fingers.

"Why you have the most important job of them all. Watch the last crate and make sure that no one runs off with it, please."

"Popsicle sticks, you want me to guard used and sticky Popsicle sticks?"

"Hey one creature's trash is another creature's lumber yard. We'll be right back." Nick could hear as thumped her left foot against the ground in frustration but was relieved that she had stayed put. Once he and Finnick reached the back of his van, the small fox spoke.

"Ok Nick," he said in his gruff sounding voice, "lay it on me."

"I need you to level with me Finny, somebody is moving the Night Howler serum again and I need a lead."

"Hmm," the fox said as he rubbed his chin, " I haven't seen anything but I've heard about a weasel with a vendetta."

"Duke, the bootlegger?"

"No, somebody by the name of Trey. Never met him but I heard that he's got a powerful anger against foxes."

"Foxes?" Nick said shocked as his eyes widened and his ears pulled back. "Why?"

"Who knows? I do know that he was asking around for someone who knew how to make the serum."

"So he already has a supply of the plant growing somewhere," Nick whispered under his breath as he rubbed the fur on the back of his neck.

"It seems like," Finnick grunted as he hoisted himself up into the van, "but the weird part is that it's been months since he's been asking around and yet he hasn't hit one mammal yet. None."

Nick thought about letting Finnick in on the Jaguar that had been shot with the poison right before he had, but decided against it. "Any addresses for me?"

"None but I heard that Ram, Jessie, keeps heading out to the country for some reason. Bunny hollows to be exact." Nick was about to say something but then he smelt it. Blood. Flesh. Fur. It rushed at him all at once and it seemed to knock all of the air out of him. His ears folded back as he gripped his head in his paws and stumbled. He could hear Finnick calling out to him in alarm but he was powerless to respond. He gasped for air but with every breath, the scent of feral carnage became stronger. He fought for control of himself but fell to his knees as his stomach wretched and the contents of it came forth on the ground in front of him. Judy's voice from behind and arms around him helped to stabilize him, bringing him back around but he was still a little dizzy as she helped him up. Nick was happy that he wore the reflective sunglasses so that no one could see the vulnerability in his eyes even as he saw the abundance of concern in theirs. He quickly moved out of Judy's arms and dusted himself off.

"You ok Nicky?" Finnick asked, "them darn elephants must be putting something new in the Jumbo Pops."

"No, no," Nick replied as he wiped his mouth and stood tall, "it must have been something that I ate earlier."

"Well when you find out whatever made you sick, you need to find whoever served it to you and knock all of their teeth out."

Nick laughed, bravado full on, as he straighten his uniform. "And you know it bud, see you around Finny."

"See ya Nicky,"

Nick did his best to hold himself up until he made to their cruiser but once inside, he slumped into his seat. Judy said nothing but started up the car and pulled off as he did his best to monitor his breathing like Dr. Bovian had instructed him too.

"What happened back there?" Judy asked finally as they stopped at a red light.

"Later Judy," he said quietly, "please later."

"Ok," Judy agreed as she reached out and squeezed his paw gently before she began driving again.

Where had the scent come from, he thought, he hadn't smelt since the night that he we went savage. And it came on all of a sudden without any warning. Mr. Otterton had been right, but what else would he be right about? Would any urges come back? Mr. Otterton was an Otter married to an Otter with Otter children so he would never have the urge to maim or hurt them, but a fox... He was a natural predator and Judy was a natural prey. What if one night, while they were alone, an urge hit him and he committed an act so unforgivable, the price to pay for it could only be death? Nick turned to look at Judy when they were stopped at another light and she smiled at him. Big lavender eye gleaming, her inner radiance and beauty shining through. And it could all be gone, taken away by one crazed act brought on by a poison that he was supposed to have been cured of months ago. Why had he been such a fool as to have thought that this relationship could've worked? Maybe before the serum but not afterwards. If there was chance that he could hurt Judy, even the slimmest of one , then he couldn't be with her. As much as it would destroy him inside, he couldn't take that kind of a risk. Not with the life of the only living person that he loved.

"We're here!" Judy exclaimed as they parked in front of the building that she rented a room in. They got and he followed her up the stair, dreading what he would have to do but knowing that he would have to do it anyway. Fishing for her keys, she unlocked the door to her room and opened a window to let some air in before she plopped down on the bed and sighed. "Today was rough one, don't ya think? We could always order in if you're hunger but I really think that you should get some rest."

Nick began to feel faint hearted as he struggled with whether or not he should go through with this. Her body, the warmth and comfort that it possessed, the bed that she lay on, they were all so inviting and they called out silently for him. Perhaps could he sleep for just a little while, cuddle with her for a bit and then when she was sound asleep, sneak out. Would that hurt her less? No, she deserved better than him stealing away from her like some animal in the night. Walking over to her dresser, he began to pick up his meager belongings and watched Judy's reflection in the mirror as she sat up confused. "Nick, Nick what are you doing?"

"I'm leaving," he said, giving no trace of the emotional storm that raged on within him. If it was one thing that the streets of Zootopia had taught him, it was how to keep his true self hidden, even now when his whole body seemed ready to rip apart at the act of leaving her.

"Leaving? Where? Why? You're sick, you really shouldn't be ..."

"Its over Judy," he said flatly, still not betraying himself.

"What?" Judy whispered in shocked disbelief.

"We had a good run, I'll admit that," he picked a pamphlet that the doctor had given him the day he was order to see him and stuffed it in his pocket, " but it's done. We're over."

"Nick," Judy said as she hurried off of the bed. Her ears drooped and her nose trembled in a way that pulled at him. The need to hold her in his arms to take away the pain he was causing her was so strong, it was like a literal ache. "You can't just... why?"

He debated on whether or not to tell what had happened but decided against it. She would only try to help and her offer to might break his resolve. "Because I'm a Fox and you're a Bunny and it will never work. I'm very sorry, I really am. Now," he said as he side-stepped her in the small space, "I really must be going if I'm going to find lodging for the night, but you take care,ok?" He saw the tears began to fall from her eyes and before she could say anything, he quickly closed the door and hurried down the stairs. It was dusk outside and once he had made it to the front porch, he slumped against the door, his energy fleeting. Then he heard it, the very faint but very distinct sound of Judy crying her room. He looked up. Her window, it was open. For the first time in years, for the first time since he felt his mother dying in his arms, tear pooled in his eyes. Sadness, though was quickly being replaced with rage as he thought about the person who had done this to them, the person who had ruined their happily ever after. And for what? Because he hated Foxes?! Nick wiped his eyes and stood tall as a new resolve began to fill him. He was going to find out who had shot him with the Night Howler and he was going to make him pay.


	8. Chapter 8

Midnight had fallen and Nick shivered against the cold as he popped another blueberry into his mouth. He had been staking out the road that lead in and out of Bunny Burrow for hours from behind the town's welcome sign and was beginning to grow restless. Normally on a stake out, he'd be dozing off behind his sunglasses while Judy kept a listening ear out but tonight he was his own. Nick shifted as he watched a family of Badgers drive by and the ache of loneliness intensified within him. There would be no dozing off for him tonight. He had slept alone all of his life but the prospect of sleeping without Judy in bed with him was enough to make him never want to sleep again. And they weren't even mated.

Nick laughed ruefully to himself. She must be some kind of mammal for her make him find a Bunny attractive. In the past, he had always found the of idea inter-species relationships repugnant. A Sheep with a Ram was perhaps ok and maybe a Wolf with a Coyote. He couldn't tell the difference between the two anyway but a predator and a prey? That was completely was unheard of. And then he me Judy. It was her personality that got him first. Her ever optimistic, no-one's-going-to-keep-me-from-my-dreams attitude was so infectious that it had even resurrected the little justice loving fox cub who had died within him years ago. Falling in love with her had been a slow burn but he could clearly remembered when the first embers had began. It was a year and a half ago on the bridge in the Rainforest District. When he saw Chief Bogo glaring down and berating her , she had valiantly turned him for a witness. That was something that no one did when it came to foxes. Everyone saw them as too shifty to trust, but Judy hadn't given calling on him a second thought. That was when the first seed was planted and it had just blossomed from there.

He couldn't lie though, he did enjoy certain physical aspects of her as well. Those big violet eyes that had the power to see through who he was today to the Fox that he could be tomorrow. That cute pink nose that twitched whenever she was happy or sad. One of his favorite parts of the day was waking up and kissing it every time she went to turn off the alarm clock. Her ears, that weren't at just sensitive to sound, were one of his favorite areas of her body as well. He loved stroking, kissing, and nibbling on them at odd times when no one was looking. She'd shiver so much some times, her badge would rattle and a good amount of the officers in the precinct thought that she was perpetually cold. Nick knew for a fact that quite a few of them planned on getting her sweaters on her next anniversary of being on the force. In his mind, he could imagine the look on her face when she opened the fifth or sixth gift box and found another wool pull over waiting for her. She'd smile and be profusely grateful to the other officers but once she got him alone, she'd scrunched up her cute little nose, and her long coal tipped ears would flop down to the middle of her back. Then she'd pop her curvy hip out to the left and place her paw on it in the sexy way that never failed to catch and hold his attention. Sexy, he thought, when had he started thinking of Bunnies as 'sexy'? He certainly thought of them of cute but everyone did. Nick thought back to all of the Bunnies that he could remember ever seeing before and after meeting Judy but none had captivated him so. No, he wasn't attracted to Bunnies, he was in love with Judy and Judy alone. But that was over. He sighed and tried in vain to push away the memory of her beautiful eyes tearing up. The pamphlet, he thought, read the pamphlet. It would be something to do to take his mind off things. Pulling it out of his pocket, he leaned back against the sign and began to read.

 _"_ _Midnicampum holicithias otherwise known as Night Howlers is completely harmless unless ingested. Should a friend or love one accidentally ingest it, do not panic. Alert the local authorities immediately so that s/he can be contained and assisted properly. Do not worry. Although the nectar of the plant can cause brief insanity, once it is in one's system, it is not contagious. However, speed is of the essence. Prolonged exposure to the Night Howler nectar for over 24 hours could result in permanent damage. Please see your general practitioner for more information."_

Nick closed the pamphlet up and thought for a moment. According to Judy, he had been administered the antidote immediately after being hit with the poison. If not within minutes, then at least within hours. The nightmares he could understand, the mind worked in mysterious ways. And the muscle soreness was brought on by the serum, not the Night Howler, so that he could explain away as well but what didn't make since was what he smelled today. Why today of all days had that scent come to him? He wished that he'd had Judy with him right now. He was good at getting out of trouble but not at figuring out how he'd gotten into it in the first place. Judy. What was she doing right now? Was she still crying? Had she cried herself to sleep and now lay alone in her bed? Would she be expecting his warm kiss on her cold nose in the morning once the alarm clock went off and would that make her start crying again? Nick hated himself for what he had done but did he really have a choice? He would have hated himself more if he had went savage and murdered her.

As he was thinking, he saw a vehicle driving slowly by with no lights on. That was odd because the road into Bunny Burrow had no street lights of its own so whoever was traveling in that truck either had incredible night vision like himself or was more of a fool than he was. The vehicle expertly switched lanes to avoid some farming debri on road. Yup, definitely night vision, he thought. But what other mammals had it like him? He snapped his fingers. A Ram. Climbing down quickly from his perch, he followed the vehicle stealthily from the side of the road.

It stopped at an old barn and sure enough, Jessie the Ram got out of the driver's side of the truck and closed the door quietly before entering the dilapidated structure. Nick came around the front of the vehicle and jimmied the hood open. Since it was the only means of transportation there aside from some old plane, he figured that if he disabled it, there would be no means of escape for the wooly culprit and his Weasel master. Acting quickly, he pulled and cut several wires leading to the engine and fuel tank. Making sure that the truck was permanently disabled, he threw the severed cables into the tall grass, aiming in different directions. Closing the hood back up, he moved towards to the door of the barn as quietly as he could but heard a stick break behind him. He turned to see who it was but before he could, something heavy and blunt met with his rib cage. The wind was knocked out of him as he fell to the ground and his unknown assailment took that moment to levy a final blow to his head. There was the shortest moment of pain and then his whole world went dark.

"Psst, psst,"

Nick's head throbbed and he wanted nothing more than to stay asleep and dream about holding Judy in his arms but the constant noise was waking him. Tasting blood in his mouth roused him though and he sat up quickly but bit back on a howl as pain shot through him. His discomfort was only a momentary concern though as his eyes darted around wildly, not really focusing on anything. Who' s blood was this, he thought frantically. "No, no, no, no," he chanted and tried to stand but the metal restraints chained to his wrists pulled him back down to the ground. Landing on his tail, he rolled over onto his hurt side and his body was racked with agony. "Judy!" he called out, "Judy!" Had he done the unthinkable? He couldn't remember what had happened.

"Dag nabbit boy," he heard someone with a thick southern accent whisper frantically, " if you don't shut yo mouth, you'll have em in here any second now."

Nick grimaced as he turned to see a shabby red furred fox crouching off to the side of him. "Who are you?" he hissed, "and where is Judy?"

"I'm Gideon Grey, the baker and if you're talking about the Hopps' daughter, I don't rightly know. You were the only one they dragged in." Everything was coming back to Nick now and a pain of a different kind lanced through him as he remembered breaking up with Judy earlier. The blood in my mouth, he thought, someone hit me. He licked his tongue around his gums to make sure that he hadn't lost any teeth and once he was satisfied with what he'd found, he sat up gingerly.

"Where are we?"

"We're..." Gideon stopped short as a menacing Weasel walked in laughing.

"Judy! Judy!" he called, openly mocking Nick. The fox stared at him with a hatred that burned so hot that his green eyes blazed.

"Now listen here Travis," the other fox said, "this here has gone on long enough. Cut this short and let us go. You aint got nothing to gain from this."

"Don't call me that," the weasel said baring his teeth, "I'm Trey now, ya hear me, Gid?! Big-city-don't-take-nothing-from-nobody-Trey and you best not to forget it."

The stocky Fox in overalls shook his head, " I don't care what you be going by now, I'm not letting you grow that poison on my family's land, even if'n it weren't illegal."

The Weasel laughed again, "I don't need yo family's stupid ol' land for nothing no mo Gid. I done gone and grew it myself elsewheres. And 'sides, you aint gonna have no use for no land anyway when I'm done no how."

"Whatchu talking about Travis?"

Nick was growing tired of the exchange. He didn't care about any of their land but he knew what poison Gideon had refused to grow. "Why do you hate foxes so much Trey?" he asked. The only thing holding his pain at bay was his anger even though he fought to keep it in check. "You're a weasel, the same mammals who hate us, hate you too. Making us go savage isn't going to win you any point with anyone."

"Foxes?" he laughed and Nick realized that whether he had ever been exposed to the Nigh Howler or not, he still would have had the urge to rip the little creature's throat out. "I don't hate foxes. Don't care much for Gid though, but that's just cus he was my friend and then decided that he didn't want to steal and fight no mo." The Weasel wiped his long snout, "he got too big for his britches, thought he was better than me once he started actin' like a little house wife baking treats in the kitchen."

"I never thought I was better nobody Travis, but I grew up. I gots me a family and a business now and both treat me right. You could have one too if'n you stop fooling around with this mess and come back to your senses."

"Don't tell me what I can have!" The weasel yelled in a shrill, then he turned his attention to his attention to Nick. "And I aint never had no plans to make foxes go savage. That cheetah was just a test and you just got in the way when I was aiming at that dumb Bunny."

"Judy?" Nick whispered to himself as he used a claw to pick the lock that confined him.

"Yes Judy, yo precious partner. She started all of my woes. If she had never become a cop, Gid would still be pulling jobs with me instead of pulling pies out the oven. But she still gonna pay, she and every Bunny in Bunny Burrows is once I'm done. Was hoping to have mo fun with you fox cop but it bes that way sometimes."

Fun? With me? Nick thought but he didn't have time to dwell on that right now, he needed to find out what the crazed Weasel had in mind for the Bunnies. "What do you mean," he said slowly as he counted his breaths carefully as a way to manage his pain. Without moving his eyes, he spotted a few matches and a can of what looked like kerosene next to a wooden rake.

"Well, aint it obvious? Fo a city Fox, you aint none to bright. I'm gonna make the biggest batch of the Night Howler poison that anybody in this world has ever seen. Then I'm gonna use that ol' crop duster outside to rain it down on every Bunny in the countryside. They'll all go stock raving crazy!"

Nick's eyes went wide with disbelief. Who would want to hurt a bunch of Bunnies? "Why?" he said shocked, "you can't gain anything from making them go savage, what will that accomplish?"

"Nothing, I just wanna have some fun."

"Travis," Gideon pleaded with his former friend as he strained against restraints of his own, "please you cant do this. There's children out there. Babies. You can't just..."

"What I say about you trying to tell me what I can and can't do, Gid?!" Travis yelled, as he extended his claws. Gideon's eyes went wide with fear as he watched the menacing Weasel slowly coming towards him. "Please Travis, please."

"A little too late fo begging Gid, you shoulda listened to me first off. Now I gotta learn you a lesson." Before the Weasel could reach Gideon, Nick used the last of his strength to kick out at him with all of his might and the small creature to double over in pain as all of the air was knocked out him. Travis coughed and spit blood onto the hay covered floor as he laughed again.

"Aint Jessie learned you nothing with that bat across yo back and face? I swear Foxes must be the dumbest creature's in this earth."

"You're right," Nick said as he stood to the great dismay of Travis, "or at least you are about this one. But I'm smartening up really quick and you better too. I don't care who you lost and who took'em away from you, you try to hurt Judy and swear I'll kill you myself even if I die trying."

"Jessie! Jessie!" the Weasel called frantically and the the fat Ram lumbered in.

"Yes Boss?"

"Get him!" Travis said as he pointed at paw at Nick but the Fox one step ahead of them and quickly ran over to the rake, adrenaline taking over.

The Ram laughed. "You can barely stand Fox, but you're gonna fight me with a rake? Bring it on."

Nick made like he was going to reach for the rake but grabbed the the box of matches instead and lit one as he picked up the kerosene. "I've never smelled wool burning before but thanks to you, I have had a craving for meat recently. How are those lamb chops treating you?"

"Travis," Jessie said as he frantically gripped the weasels shoulders, "he's crazy, he gonna set us on fire! He's gonna burn this barn down with us in it!"

"Stop it you idiot!" Travis yelled back, and pulled away from the scared Ram, "and he's not gonna set nothing on fire. If he did , he'd kill himself and Gid too."

"I meant what I said, I'd die to protect my fellow officer," Nick said choosing his words carefully just in case he made it out of this alive, " and if I'm correct, that's the same Gideon Grey that held Judy down and scratched her face when she was nine so I don't have much love for him either."

"T-t-that was years ago,"Gideon stammered, " and I already apologized to Judy for that. You ask her, I did."

Nick heard Gideon but didn't pay him much mind, all of his focus was on the Ram and the Weasel. "I've had my limit of this," Travis said, "he can't take us both, "tackle him!"

Jessie ran toward Nick at full speed and he got ready to throw the kerosene and drop the match. That's so odd, he thought to himself, the one person that he would miss the most was the same person that he was happy wasn't there. "I love you," he whispered beneath his breath as he closed his eyes, reading himself to drop the match. Suddenly, he heard the Ram cry out in pain and the Weasel in shock. Nick opened his eyes and to his great disbelieve, he saw Judy straddling Jessie and she tased him before he could get up. Nick looked above him and saw a rope hanging from a high rafter and he smiled. Judy had caught them by surprise by swinging down from the rafters and tackling Jessie while he was in mid run. She had been there the whole time, waiting for an oppurtunity to step in. He chuckled to himself. Clever Bunny. Nick blew out the match but stiffened as she ran over to him. "Stay away," he called out to her as he pushed himself against the wall.

"No Nick, I'm trying help you."

"Why wont you just let me protect you?!" He yelled, "You never just let me protect you! On the low bridge, I begged you to leave, I pleaded with you to leave and I don't plead with anyone! I muzzled myself," he said he said beating his paws against his chest, "I cuffed myself, I jumped off a bridge, willing to end my own life and why?! Just to protect you and what do you do? You just keep coming. I couldn't live with myself if I killed you. I'd rather take my own life first but you just keep coming."

"Nick whatever is going right now, its ok, its not you. That Weasel was following us around today. I heard him and that's why I came running towards you and Finnick. I had no idea that you were getting sick and never saw him. Once you left tonight, I knew something was wrong so I retraced our steps and went back to have a talk with Mrs. Otterton. She said that her husband told her that you had asked him about the side effects of the Night Howler and that the strongest one was scent memory. Something wasn't adding up so I went back to the alley and found a wrapper for a scent spray. I couldn't make it out but I knew it came from the Naturalist that we went to before. I paid them a visit and found out that not only had they made the flesh and blood scented spray, but only one who bought it was their newest member, Travis. I called my parents to find out about where he and they didn't know but they did say that Gideon had gone missing. His family has been looking for him for weeks. His wife wanted to go to the police but his mother was afraid that he gotten into something illegal and wanted to wait him out a little bit longer. I knew Gideon had turned his life around and that he'd have no reason to go back so went to the only place that I knew I could at least find Travis. Here, his family's old farm. I went into the main house and found the spray in there as well as pictures from the night you were shot and from earlier in the day when you were throwing up. I knew then that he was behind everything and that I wasn't going to let him get away with what he had done to you so I hid out in the barn. I saw Gideon tied up in here and while I was trying to figure out a way to get him free, I saw the Ram drag you in and so I knew that I'd have to consider my next move carefully."

Judy walked up Nick as he breathed heavily and he collapsed into her open arms . She petted his head and ears gently with her paw as she spoke. "You were right, you know, when you said that we Bunnies so emotional. But we're also analytically too, that's why we make good detectives. And by the way, I decided when we break up, not you and we're not, do you understand me?" Her voice left no room for argument so he just smiled and nodded.

"Boy am I glad to see you Carrots," he said resting his head against her chest.

"Don't you 'Carrots' me and you're hurt. We need to get you to a hospital."

"I know one nearby," Gideon Grey piped up and Judy turned to look at him embarrassed.

"Gideon, I'm so sorry, I forgot that you were there. Nick and... what I mean to say is that Officer Wilde and I are partner, on the force you see and we..."

"No need to explain, Judy, we out here in the country so anything that makes yo heart happy goes. I aint heard nothing, I aint seen nothing, I don't know nothing."

"Thanks Gid,"she said as she lowered Nick gently to the floor and undid the country fox's restrains. He rubbed his wrists gingerly as Judy spoke. "I hope that weasel didn't get far, I called for backup."

"Oh he didn't," Nick said as she took him back into her arms, "unless he's walking to where ever he's going, he's not going anywhere.

"Halt in the name of the Law," all heard Chief Bogo yell loudly as the sound of sirens filled the air and Nick sighed. It was finally over.


	9. Chapter 9

It was nearly noon when Judy and Nick stumbled back into her rented room at the Bungalow Arms. Judy had urged him to go to the hospital but once it was confirmed that he had no broken bones, he refused. "You know you should have went Nick, right?" she chided as she tucked him under the covers.

"Are you a doctor? No, no you are not."

"Ha ha, very funny but seriously, you remember our deal. I bring you home, you take your medication. Its only powder, it dissolves quickly and you only need two spoonfuls."

"Is this really _my_ home?" he slyly said but hoped that she wouldn't say no after the stunt he had pulled the day before.

"Your home is where ever I am so stop stalling and take your meds."

"You know," Nick said as he shifted to get comfortable, " for a Bunny, you're awfully forceful."

"And for a Fox, you're not very clever. Medicine, now."

"You are just so cute when you put your tinnie tiny little foot down."

"Nick,"

"Are we still doing that foot licking thing, because I'm still game if you are."

"Nick,"

"Like I said, I'll do yours first."

Judy turned around as she placed her paw on her hip and pursed her lips at him. Nick chuckled and his green eyes began to glow as he looked her up and down.

"That paw on you hip isn't going to help this Darling," he smirked, " but we can try mine there if you'd like."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Uh, no, Mr. Smooth, now what is it going to take for me to get you to take you medication?" Nick raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak but she silenced him with the wave of her paw. "Once again, no, so what else?"

Nick tapped his snout a few time as if in deep thought until he spied an orange and white bowl on the small dresser. "You could feed me some blueberries. I mean I could get sick if I took anything on an empty stomach, right? And I would feed myself but I'm hurt, remember? Darn it …."

"Its a bummer, yeah, yeah, I know, I know," Judy said, finishing his sentence as she turned back around. "Do you want them with sugar?" she asked sweetly and Nick thought about that for a moment. Mrs. Hopps had given him and the children some blueberries with sugar and it had been delicious. "Yes please, Cotton Tail, and don't be stingy on the sugar, thank you."

"I wouldn't dream of it," she said as she clattered about. Nick closed his eyes beckoning sleep but the constant pain he was in held it off. That being said, he still didn't want to take the medicine because he rather liked having his wits about him. The bed shifted under Judy's weight as she sat down and she patted his cheek lightly. "Come on you big baby," she said coaxingly, "open up." Without opening his eyes, Nick parted his lips and Judy began to feed the blueberries to him one at a time. They had a slight tart bitterness to them but he knew that could happen to berries if there weren't fresh and made a mental note to ask Judy to phone her parents for another shipment. He had lost count of how many he had eaten by the time they heard a tapping on Judy's door. Nick opened his eyes slowly as Judy stood.

"Who is it?" she called.

"Special delivery," a friendly voice said from behind the door.

"Special delivery?" she repeated confused and swiveled to look at Nick whose expression had turned serious. Could Travis 'Trey' the Weasel have gotten loose and sent someone after them? Despite the pain, Nick tried to stand up but Judy waived him back down. Turning her attention back to the door, she walked over to it cautiously, cracked it open and smiled. "Mr. Otterton? How are you? What are you doing here?"

The older Otter stared at the Bunny officer in wide eyed shock though the spectacles perched on his nose. "O-officer Judy Hopps? This is your address?" He looked down at the folded up paper in his paws, and then back up at her. "This your room?"

"Yes," she laughed but still kept the door cracked so that he couldn't see who else was in the room with her, "beautiful flowers by the way. I'm sure that they'll make somebody's day."

"Yours,"

"Excuse me?" Judy said, her ears drooping in confusion.

"Yours, your day and your flowers. Ni..., I mean someone, someone thought that you were, are, that you are very special to them and so they wanted you to have these. I sent my son around to deliver them yesterday but he kept saying that he didn't get an answer so I decided that I'd come by and try to deliver them. Since I know how important you are to... that person, even if, well, that is to say, that perhaps you may not know." Mr. Otter handed her the delicate looking bouquet and smiled as he readjusted his glasses.

"Who are they from?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that but there's a note in there."

"Thank you," Judy whispered, still confused and Mr. Otterton turned to leave but then stopped as if he had just remembered something. He touched Judy's paw with his own and she looked up from the flowers stare into his friendly and wise eyes.

"Sometimes, love can be like flowers in that it can grow in the oddest of places. And as long as happiness is there, it can flourish. I'd hate to see you loose out on _a budding love_ because some might not understand how one so... unique could grow into something strong and beautiful. I owe you my life so let me give you some advise that might help bring happiness to yours. Please, keep an open mind and let love grow, where ever it takes root."

Judy's eyes brimmed with un-shed tears at his kind words. "I'll make sure to do that. Thank you again, Mr. Otterton."

"You're welcome my Dear, enjoy the flowers and the rest of your day."

"You too, sir." Judy called out as he walked away and she closed the door. She took a moment to look over her new bouquet of red, pink,white, and yellow roses, but also babies breath, and forget-me-nots. A note was attached to a small plastic pitchfork that stuck out from the flowers and plucking it out, she read it out loud.

" _You are my best friend, better than that I could have ever imagined to deserve. Thank you for caring about me even when I wasn't worth caring about. You are purest creature that I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Thank you for showing me clarity and helping me onto the right path. Your kindness is unmatched and it abounds in more abundance than the waters roaring in every river and flowing in every sea. Thank you for teaching me that I could find peace in helping others. And I love you. I love you. I love you. And thank you for not only letting me love you but for showing me that I was worth loving too. Before I met you, I only survived, now everyday with you, I live and I look forward to living with you forever and always, Carrots._

 _Love,_

 _The Partner That You Made,"_

Judy was in tears by the time she had gotten to the end of the note and Nick was smiled as he opened his arms to her. "I love you too, Nick. Is this why you went back into the Otterton's shop once I pulled off? You wanted me to come back around so that you could order me flowers?"

"I had already ordered them Cotton Tail, I just went back in to tweak them a little."

"But, but I thought that you hated flowers.

"I did. Everyone who had ever given me a reason to buy them, was gone. And then in came you."

Placing the card and the flowers on the dresser, Judy climbed into the bed and under the covers next to him. He encased her in his arms as he nuzzled her ear and whispered, "Happy Anniversary."

Judy looked up at him. "Today isn't the day that we started dating."

"No, but its the anniversary of the day that we first met. I can admit that I was a minor league jerk that day but I'm hoping that you'll remember the flowers more vividly than how I treated you."

"Thank you, I will. They're beautiful, but there one thing I don't get. I can understand what each of the roses mean but why the baby's breath and forget-me-nots?"

Nick chuckled sleepily, "Why? Because they're wild flowers." Judy giggled through her tears, now understanding why Nick Wilde had given her wild flowers but Nick was beginning to noticed that he felt unnaturally tired as his ears began to droop. "That wasn't sugar on the blueberries was it?"

"Nope," she said as she petted his snout lovingly and Nick felt his body rapidly relaxing and his mind starting to drift. He chuckled again and Judy, still in his arms, sat up to give him a very welcomed kiss.

"You tricked me,"

"It's called a hustle Sweetheart," she said with a smile as she laid back down and made herself comfortable.

"Clever Bunny," he slurred.

"Sly Fox," she whispered back and he gave her body one last tight squeeze before they both drifted peacefully off to sleep.

 _ **THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF THE FOLLOWS, FAVES AND REVIEWS! YOU'VE HELPED TO DRIVE THIS STORY AND I DID IT ALL FOR YOU. I HOPE TO WRITE ANOTHER ONE SOON, AFTERALL, I THINK THESE TWO DESERVE A WEDDING! STAY TUNED, STAY WELL, SEE YOU SOON!**_


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